JPH11355229A - Structurable monitoring for program viewer number and interactive application use - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a precise analysis of the number of program viewers by executing an interactive application which generates a response for describing a behavior of the viewer. SOLUTION: An interactive application 115 monitors a program viewed by a subscriber, and the entrance and exit paths concerning the program or the like. Monitored data are transmitted to a local data center 122 by a response packet 500. The local data center 122 adds the response to subscriber's information. Information on all the subscribers is collected by the local data center 122 and transmitted to a master data center 128. The master data center 128 collects all the received information, adds it to the subscribers information if possible and provides the result to a broadcasting company with a report for indicating geographical, demographic and psychographic profiles of the program viewers.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Cross-Reference to Related Applications The title of this application is that the title of the invention, published on November 18, 1997, is "METHOD AND APPARATUS F.
OR ROUTING CONFIDENTIAL I
NFORMATION) ", U.S. Pat. 5,6
89,799, and the following application:
The title of the invention filed on March 26 is “Method and Apparatus for Determining Broadcaster Information (METHOD AND AP)
PARATUS FOR DETERMING B
ROADCASTER INFORMATION). 429,064, 1995 4
The title of the invention filed on March 26 is "Compact Graphic Interactive Information System (COMPACTGR
APHICAL INTERACTIVE INFOR
MATION SYSTEM) ", US Patent Application N
o. 429, 107 and the name of the invention filed on the same date as the present application are referred to as “RESPONS MANAGEMENT IN INTERACTIVE BROADCASTING SYSTEM BY PERIODIC RECONSTRUCTION OF RESPONSE PRIORITY (RESPONS).
E CAPACITY MANAGEMENT IN
INTERACTIVE BROADCAST SYS
TEMS BY PERIODIC RECONFIG
URATION OF RESPONSE PRIOR
ITIES) ”. The above patents and applications have the same assignee as the present invention and are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for determining the number of television and interactive application viewers, and more particularly to selecting such viewers and monitoring usage at a program-specified level. System and method for dynamic control.

[0003]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Commercial television programming is
Generally funded by advertising revenue. Determining how much a broadcaster would charge an advertiser for placing an ad during a given time slot in a given television show was determined by how many watched at the time the ad was being broadcast It depends on knowing if it is. This type of audience data, or "audience," has typically been collected through various manual or automatic processes. Manual processing typically involves a preselected number of viewer households and requires the viewer to record what television shows are being watched, by whom and when. This intrusive process
It interferes with the viewer's viewing behavior and relies on the viewer to accurately report their television viewing behavior.

To overcome the problems of accuracy and intrusion,
Automatic methods typically involve detecting a channel selection in a broadcast receiver, recording data indicative of such selection in a memory, or transmitting such selection data to a central repository. Dependent. Various means have been used to detect channel selection activity in broadcast receivers such as televisions, set-top boxes and video cassette recorders. Transmitting the channel selection data typically involved transmission by a secondary telephone line or by polling in a cable system. Signals for controlling the monitoring time have been transmitted to broadcast receivers using telephones, microwaves, radio frequency transmitters, or the cable system itself. For example, McMulla
n, Jr. U.S. Pat. 5,251,32
No. 4 discloses sending information about a particular recording time directly to a remote terminal such as a set-top box via a cable line.

[0005] However, these automation systems and methods have various limitations. The real information of interest to broadcasters is which particular television program is being watched and when, whereas these techniques instead rely on detecting channel selection behavior. Focus and use this information as a proxy for what is being watched on the television program. This is because the various types of broadcast receivers generally have the ability to tune to a particular channel and only store very limited data indicative of the channel at best.

[0006] Since the prior art only seeks to detect channel selection, they cannot individually control more precisely which television program is being monitored. In addition, since channel selection is where the main data is being monitored, the prior art knows how long a particular television program has been watched, which particular part of the television show has been watched, Detailed information being monitored, such as which television program was viewed before the monitored television program or which television program was viewed after the monitored television program Did not deal with controlling the level. This detail is not usually captured. It is a platform for a broadcast receiver to execute a configurable monitoring application typically associated with a particular television program.
orm) is not given.

[0007] Furthermore, conventional monitoring methods rely on the pre-selection of a number of households where monitoring equipment or capabilities are to be installed. As a result, the ability, if any, to dynamically configure which households are included in a particular monitoring event for a particular television program is small.

Another limitation of conventional monitoring methods is their inability to monitor the use of interactive applications. Interactive applications have been the subject of much debate, but rarely run across very small test markets. However, truly nationwide broadcasting of interactive applications that enhances viewing of television programs, advertising and other program material would benefit from usage data indicating the usage of interactive applications. . Conventional channel selection monitoring methods do not accurately track the use of interactive applications, since interactive applications can operate in a channel independent manner.

It is therefore desirable to provide a system and method for accurately monitoring the number of viewers of a television program and the use of interactive applications. It would further be desirable to provide systems and methods that allow for dynamically configuring which television programs and interactive applications are monitored and the level of detail captured during the monitoring period.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to the specification of individual television programs and interactive applications to be monitored, in addition to specific control over the level and type of detailed information to be captured during monitoring. Overcoming the limitations of conventional television viewing monitoring techniques by providing a system and method for granting licenses. Monitoring is silent because the viewer is not required to start monitoring and does not need to know that monitoring is occurring
It is. The present invention further provides for the storage of monitored data from individual televisions, set-top boxes, video cassette recorders and other broadcast receivers, collected at local and national levels, and viewing and listening. To be augmented by demographic or psychographic data about the person. This augmented data provides the broadcaster with a very accurate analysis of what the viewer is watching a particular television program or a particular interactive application. For example, the present invention provides a system in which a broadcaster earns 5 minutes of viewing a certain commercial broadcast within a single frame of a particular situational comedy.
Allows you to accurately determine the percentage of households above $ 0,000.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A system according to the present invention is configured to include a microprocessor and memory for storing and executing interactive applications, a set-top box, a television, and a video cassette recorder. And a number of broadcast receivers such as the like. Interactive applications are broadcast by television broadcast signals and are typically
Accompanying the program or advertisement, but may be independent of either.

The system also includes a broadcast device that is a source of broadcast data including television programs, commercials and interactive applications. Broadcast devices typically select broadcast data according to a playlist that defines a particular sequence of broadcast data, including a start time, a program, and a channel identity for each item of data being broadcast. It typically includes an automated broadcast selection mechanism for automatic control. The broadcasting device includes a data insertion unit for inserting the monitoring interactive application into a program or a broadcast signal. The broadcast signal is then broadcast by the transmitter.

A broadcast server for receiving a broadcast schedule of broadcast data from the automated broadcast selection mechanism is connected to the broadcast device via a communication system. The broadcast server also maintains a database of interactive applications, including monitoring interactive applications. Various interactive applications are associated with individual broadcasters, televisions and commercials. The broadcast server correlates a particular one of the interactive applications, and in particular a monitoring interactive application, with particular broadcast data to be monitored. These selected monitoring interactive applications are communicated to a data insertion unit that inserts the interactive applications into the broadcast signal to accompany the particular broadcast data to be monitored.

The broadcast signal containing the monitoring interactive application and the broadcast data to be monitored is received by any broadcast receiver tuned to the particular channel on which the monitoring interactive application is broadcast. Thus, only those broadcast receivers tuned to such channels will receive the monitoring interactive application.

However, instead of requiring monitoring at each and every broadcast receiver so receiving the broadcast signal, the monitoring interactive application selects which broadcast receiver monitors the number of viewers or usage. Includes data and algorithms that are dynamically controlled. Monitoring The interactive application monitoring algorithm is based on the expected market share,
Configurable for each individual television program, commercial or interactive application to be monitored to adjust sample size in response to time units of the day and other factors. For example, for a very popular television program watched by one million viewers, the monitoring interactive application may be configured to generate a 1% sample of approximately 100,000 viewers. For a less popular television program with a small audience of about 10,000, the monitoring interactive application would be 10%
It can be configured to generate a sample. This ability to control sample size avoids overloading the response capacity of the monitoring system and improves the accuracy of collecting audience data.

Further, the monitoring interactive applications can be individually configured to control the level or type of detailed information monitored. The basic level of monitoring is to determine if a particular television program or commercial has been viewed. In addition, the monitoring interactive application provides the total amount of time the program was watched, the start and end time to watch, the channel entry path (which channel was watched or other events before the current program was monitored). , Channel exit path (which channel was watched or other events after or during the current channel is monitored), and volume settings during the monitored program. Also, the monitoring interactive application may be configured to monitor aspects of the channel or network, such as start and end times, and entry and exit paths.

Finally, as a further embodiment of the present invention,
The monitoring application may be configured to monitor the functionality of the broadcast receiver itself, whereby this information may be provided to the manufacturer of the broadcast receiver. Features of the broadcast receiver that can be monitored include, for example, whether a picture-in-picture (PIP) function is used (including PIP size, placement and channel selection), which video input Active, upstream tuner used with broadcast receiver, and mute, subtitles for the deaf (clos
including the use of features such as ed-captioning, stereo sound, and the like.

In this embodiment, the monitoring interactive application operates invisibly to the viewer, so that the viewer does not need to manually start monitoring their viewing behavior. The monitoring interactive application may thus be configured to operate automatically or be initiated by a viewer.

In addition to monitoring television programs and commercials, the monitoring algorithms and data may be embedded in any interactive application that provides interactive functionality to the user. An example interactive application is a television application.
Includes applications for registering viewer feedback during the program, providing sports statistics during accompanying sports broadcasts, providing financial data and weather information, and applications for purchasing advertised items or services.
These and other types of interactive applications
It includes monitoring algorithms and data, and allows the use of these applications to be selectively monitored along the same dimensions described above.
In addition, the interactive application may determine which of the formats was used, the amount of time spent in each format, the entry and exit times for each format, the entry and exit routes for each format (ie, the previous and next formats). ), And viewer channel selection during use of the interactive application. Such accurate monitoring informs the owner of the interactive application of application use and effectiveness.

The preferred embodiment includes multiple data centers, each operating, for example, with a local cable system that provides cable service to multiple broadcast receivers in a local service area. Each broadcast receiver that is monitoring sends its response to its local
Send to data center. The response includes monitoring data, along with an identification code for the monitoring interactive application performing the monitoring, and the identification code of the broadcast receiver providing the response. data·
The center receives the responses from the various local broadcast receivers and collects them into a collected data set. The data collected describes local audience ratings and usage information about monitored programs or interactive applications in various geographic areas. Further, the data center is communicatively coupled to a database of subscriber information indexed by a terminal identification code of the broadcast receiver. Using the broadcast receiver identification code, the data center obtains and collects subscriber information in a database, thereby collecting, for example, audience count data regarding geographic locations. The data center will also generate detailed reports on audience numbers and usage to provide household income,
It may be combined with geographic, demographic and / or psychographic data collection, including data such as race, interests and preferences, and the like.

The collected reports from the various data centers are sent to a central data center, where they are further collected to represent data at a local or national level. Data centers generate reports gathered at these local levels and provide them to various broadcasters.

According to the present invention, there is provided a method for selectively monitoring broadcast data, comprising the steps of: receiving an interactive application accompanying a broadcast program at a broadcast receiver;
Executing the interactive application to determine whether a broadcast program associated with the interactive application should be monitored; and, in response to the determination, interactively monitoring a selected attribute of the number of viewers of the broadcast program. Configuring the type application and monitoring the selected attribute of the number of viewers by storing data indicating the selected attribute. As an additional step, the method comprises configuring the interactive application by defining selected attributes of the broadcast program to be monitored, and storing data indicative of the selected attributes in the interactive application. And transmitting the interactive application thus configured to the remote broadcast receiving terminal device.

[0023]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to FIG. 1, a diagram of a system in accordance with the present invention is shown. It will be appreciated that the system illustrated in FIG. 1 can be incorporated into larger and more complex systems while still providing the features and advantages of the present invention. Generally, system 100 includes a broadcast device 114, a broadcast server 110, a data insertion unit 116, and at least one broadcast receiver ("BR").
120.

The broadcast device 114 includes a broadcast receiver BR 120
Provide program material to be broadcast to As used herein, a “broadcast device” 114 is any entity that provides a program carried on a broadcast signal. A "program" is a discrete segment of a broadcast. Thus, as defined herein, programs include television shows, commercials, public service announcements, pay-per-view events, and the like. Broadcasting equipment includes television networks, as well as advertisers preparing commercials, pay-per-view providers, cable networks and the like. Typical broadcasting device 11
4 holds a program source, such as a video cassette player, a video disc player, a group of similar, including film and program material, and selectively controls the program source to determine which units are programmed. Maintains an automatic system to select at what time the material is given, and also controlled by the automatic system to combine the program source with each broadcast medium and to output which program source to which broadcast medium at a given time Hold a switching system for controlling. The person (s) receiving the program is called a "subscriber" or "viewer."

[0025] Broadcast server 110 is preferably a computer system that executes software programs that provide the functionality described herein. The broadcast server 110 includes various remotely distributed broadcast receivers BR.
An interactive application database 112 holding interactive applications that will be broadcast to 120
including. The interactive application may be added to the interactive application database 112 by the broadcast device 114 or other program supplier and transmitted to the database 112 via a secure network link or other transmission medium. Database 11
The fields in 2 associate the interactive application with, for example, a particular broadcaster, network, channel, program, and / or broadcast time. Further, each interactive application in database 112 preferably has a unique interactive application identification code that can identify it.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the interactive applications stored in database 112 include:
It is described by a compact communication protocol. The compact protocol is designed to broadcast a compact set of information and commands between the components of the system in an efficient manner, such that low bandwidth transformers such as the vertical blanking interval ("VBI"). Port (t
transport). The preferred embodiment of the present invention uses the compact protocol described herein, while the interactive application
For example, a hypertext markup language ("HT
ML ”) or Sun Microsystems' JAVA
It may be described by another protocol including a language. Includes supported definitions, scripts and commands,
A detailed description of one compact protocol for monitoring interactive applications can be found in the title of the invention, issued November 18, 1997, entitled "Method and Apparatus for Routing Confidential Information (Method and App).
aratus for Routing Confid
entitled "Information Information". No. 5,689,799, which is incorporated herein by reference. An interactive application is itself a software product comprising executable code and data, which configures and controls the operation of broadcast receiver 120, as described further below.

There may be multiple broadcast servers 110, each serving a particular geographic area, set of broadcasters, or set of subscribers. In one embodiment, each broadcast server 110 is identified by a unique server identification code.

Generally, the broadcast server 110 determines which interactive applications are to be broadcast on a particular channel at a particular time, and stores the interactive application corresponding to the particular channel and time from the database 112. Search and prepare interactive applications for broadcast.

To determine which interactive applications will be broadcast on various channels at various times, etc., broadcast server 110 may provide a broadcast list 113 of programs to be broadcast by broadcast device 114.
Receive. In one embodiment, the broadcast schedule 113
Identifies a program that has been prepared in advance and will be broadcast by the broadcast device 114 at a particular time. In another embodiment, the broadcast server 110 includes a broadcast schedule 113
In real time, identifies the program currently being broadcast by the broadcasting device 114, and
Is updated as the broadcast changes. In either embodiment, the broadcast schedule 113 includes sufficient information to identify each program, its start and end times, channel and network assignments, or broadcaster identification codes. The broadcast server 110 uses the information to identify and retrieve from the database 112 the corresponding interactive application that should accompany the program.

The broadcast server 110 formats the retrieved interactive application if necessary, or otherwise prepares the interactive application for insertion into the broadcast signal. Using the broadcast schedule 113 received from the broadcast device 114, the broadcast server 110 converts the interactive application 115 into a data insertion unit (“DI
U ") 116 to incorporate the interactive application 115 into the broadcast feed simultaneously with the broadcast of the program.

Data insertion unit DIU 116 receives interactive application 115 from broadcast server 110 and broadcasts a signal or feed carrying a program corresponding to interactive application 115.
d) is received. The broadcast feed may be received from a broadcast device 114 or, if the broadcast device does not provide the feed, from a third party, such as a network, cable operator, or local television station. Data insertion unit DIU116
Transmits the interactive application 115 to the broadcast data 11
7 and inserted into the broadcast device feed and converted to a format suitable for transmission with it. Data insertion unit DIU 116 may receive feeds from multiple broadcasters and may insert a separate interactive application into each feed. Similarly, the data insertion unit DIU 116 can insert separate interactive applications simultaneously from the same or different broadcast devices 114 into multiple channels.

The data insertion unit DIU 116 inserts broadcast data 117 including an interactive application and a broadcast program into a broadcast medium. The broadcast medium is the frequency spectrum used to carry the interactive application 115. In one embodiment, the broadcast medium is the National Television Standards Committee ("NTSC").
A standard analog television signal according to the standard,
BI is used as a transport for broadcasting interactive application 115. This transport is a specific part of the broadcast medium that carries the interactive application 115. In another embodiment, the broadcast medium is a standard M that includes one or more MPEG2 video services.
PEG2 digital video multiplex, and the MPEG2 elementary stream (s) in this multiplex are used as transport.

In one embodiment, the data insertion unit DIU 116 uses conventional methods for inserting data defining an interactive application into the VBI of the broadcast feed. North American Broadcast Teletext Standard (EIA-
506) defines a method and protocol for sending data on one or more lines of the VBI. However, a wide variety of other transport mechanisms are available, including a mechanism for broadcasting the interactive application 115 separately from a television program. Such a transport mechanism includes an out-of-band transmitter, which transmits the interactive application 115 over an unused portion of the television frequency spectrum. Also,
Such a transport mechanism includes a conventional frequency modulated ("FM") wireless transmitter, which transmits the interactive application 115 outside the television frequency spectrum. In another embodiment, data insertion unit DIU 116 uses conventional methods to insert data into elementary streams in an MPEG2 multiplex.

In one embodiment, an error detection code or error correction code, such as a Hamming code, is inserted with the broadcast data. In one embodiment, the data insertion unit DIU 116 translates (converts) the data into a Hamming code, and in another embodiment, the data received from the broadcast server 110 by the data insertion unit DIU 116 is already encoded. I have.

The data insertion unit DIU 116 stores broadcast data 117 containing the inserted interactive application.
Is coupled to a transmitter 118 for transmitting the In one embodiment, transmitter 118 is a satellite uplink that transmits data 117 to a local uplink receiver;
The local uplink receiver then distributes the data 117 to the broadcast receiver BR120 via a cable. In another embodiment, transmitter 118 is a conventional cable system headend amplifier. In still other embodiments, transmitter 118 is a conventional television broadcast transmitter or a high definition television digital transmitter.

In another embodiment, data insertion unit DIU 116 inserts interactive application 115 into the program before the program is broadcast. For example, data insertion unit DIU 116 may insert an interactive application into a source copy of a television commercial. Thus, interactive applications are broadcast whenever a commercial is broadcast. In this embodiment, the broadcast server 110 does not need to synchronize the interactive application search with the schedule listed in the broadcast schedule.

Regardless of the transmission method and insertion time, the broadcast data 117 is received by the subscriber's broadcast receiver BR120. Although only one broadcast receiver BR 120 is illustrated in FIG. 1, in an exemplary embodiment, hundreds or thousands of broadcasts receiving broadcast data 117 and responding as described herein. It is understood that the receiver BR120 is present. In an exemplary embodiment, broadcast receiver BR120 is a television set-top box that receives data via a coaxial cable. Further, the broadcast receiver BR120 may be integrated into the television. In addition, other broadcast receivers may also be used, including NTSC broadcast receivers, high definition television digital receivers, video cassette recorders or FM radio receivers.

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a broadcast receiver BR 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment, the broadcast receiver BR120 is a General Ins
instrument CFT-2200 CATV set-top decoder. Broadcast receiver BR 120 includes tuner 202 for receiving broadcast data 117 from transmitter 118. In one embodiment, tuner 202
Is a conventional cable television tuner. In other embodiments, the tuner is a television broadcast tuner, FM radio tuner, digital tuner, or some other type of tuner. The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 shows a display 218, typically a television, in the broadcast receiver BR120. As described above, the display 218 also displays the broadcast receiver BR1.
20 may be located externally.

The broadcast receiver BR120 also has a tuner 2
02 and the interactive application broadcast data 1
17 includes a data extractor 206. In one embodiment, data extractor 206 is a normal VBI
This is an in-band data extraction circuit. In another embodiment,
Data extractor 206 is a normal modem. Data extractor 206 provides a serial bitstream containing the extracted interactive application on bus 208. The bus 208 is coupled to a microprocessor 210, which is connected to the second storage device 21.
The extracted interactive application is stored on the first storage device 212 via the bus 208 as instructed by the program stored on the first storage device 212. In one embodiment, the microprocessor 210 uses the error code information from the extracted data to check or correct errors in the decoded interactive application. In one embodiment, the first storage device 2
12 is a normal random access memory (“RA
M "), while the second storage device 214 is a normal read-only memory (" ROM "). Other memory types, such as flash memory, which are readable and writable and still retain their contents after a loss of power, can replace the second storage device 214. The advantage of flash memory is that the broadcast receiver BR12
The software or data resident at 0 can be modified by the received interactive application.

In one embodiment, the broadcast receiver BR12
0 extracts the time signal from the broadcast data 117 using the data extractor 206. The time signal indicates the current time using a standard time base such as Coordinated Universal Time ("UTC") or the local time of the subscriber. In another embodiment, broadcast receiver BR120 has a real-time clock that is set by either the subscriber or the received time signal. Anyway, the broadcast receiver 120
Preferably has access to the current time, and thus can perform date stamping and timing functions.

As described above, the microprocessor 21
0 executes the interactive application and provides output using the program stored on the second storage device 214 and the interactive application stored on the first storage device 212. The program stored on the second storage device 214 is preferably an execution engine 217 for executing interactive applications defined by various scripts, formats, definitions, and code and graphic resources. A suitable execution engine is available from Wink Communications, Inc. of Alameda, California.
Is a Wink Engineer provided by Wintech.

The output from running the interactive application may be, for example, in the form of providing information or menus to a television viewer or in the form of receiving viewer input, or the output may be in a broadcast receiver. It may be a quiet or otherwise response that includes BR 120 or television usage data or indicates viewer preferences. To this end, the broadcast receiver BR 120 is coupled to a bus 208 and is driven by a graphics application driven by an interactive application 115 stored on a first storage device 212 and a program stored on a second storage device 214. An overlay generator 216 is included. Graphics overlay generator 216 generates a graphic display in response to interactive application 115. This graphic display is displayed on display 2 coupled to broadcast receiver BR120.
18, typically displayed on a television. Of course,
Graphics overlay generator 216 includes:
Typically, interactive applications are silent (silent
ly) Not used when executing.

In one embodiment, graphics overlay generator 216 also includes tuner 202
Receiving a broadcast signal corresponding to the broadcast program from the Internet, and the simultaneous display of the broadcast program and the graphic aspect, if any, of the interactive application 115 allows, for example, data to be input into the displayed format I do. In one embodiment, the microprocessor 21
0 is also coupled to a user input decoder 222, which is coupled to a user input receiver 224, so that the user can respond to the interactive application 115 with the microprocessor 2
10 to communicate with. In one embodiment,
User input decoder 222 is a conventional infrared remote control decoder. The user input receiver 224 is preferably a normal infrared receiver 224, and the infrared receiver 2
24 allows the user to use a conventional handheld remote control device. The remote control key pressed by the user
Convert to coded infrared signal. This coded infrared signal is received by the user input receiver 224, decoded by the user input decoder 222, and sent to the microprocessor 210, allowing the user to communicate with the interactive application 115. The microprocessor 210 is also coupled to a conventional infrared command encoder 226, which accepts infrared command input and encodes signals for a conventional infrared transmitter 228 so that the interactive application 115 can be connected to an external device. To control.

Returning to FIG. 1, the interactive application 115 running on the broadcast receiver BR 120 preferably collects the data and sends it to a local data center ("LDC") for processing. This data may be, for example, a viewer response to the on-screen format generated by the interactive application 115 or to information gathered silently by the interactive application 115 without notifying the viewer. The data line driver 230 in the broadcast receiver BR 120 accepts the data from the first storage device 212 under the direction of the microprocessor 210, sends it to the communication port 232,
Returns the data to the local data center LDC122.
To be sent to In an embodiment of the present invention,
When the normal broadcast receiver BR120 is in the set-top box, the cable coupled to the broadcast receiver BR120 is a two-way communication medium. Accordingly, local data center LDC 122 may be located at the cable headend, and data line driver 230 transmits data from communication port 232 to local data center LDC 122 via out-of-band on the cable. In an alternative embodiment, the normal broadcast receiver BR120
Is integrated into the television, the broadcast receiver BR
120 is directly connected to the local data center LDC 122 by, for example, a telephone line. Thus, data line driver 230 is a normal modem,
The communication port 232 is a normal RJ-11 telephone jack. Single local data center LDC12
Although only two are shown in FIG. 1, a typical embodiment has a number of local data centers LDC, each located at a separate cable headend and a broadcast coupled to that headend Receive the response generated by the receiver BR.

In one embodiment, the broadcast receiver BR12
0 stores multiple responses in the first storage device 212 and triggers such as the number of stored responses exceeding a predetermined limited number, the first storage device 212 being full, or the expiration of a timer. Is sent to the local data center LDC 122 upon occurrence of. Alternatively, the broadcast receiver BR120 is connected to the local data center LDC1
22, in response to a poll from the interactive application 115, or another device, local response at a specific time interval or at a rate determined by the interactive application 115 that generated the response. Send to data center LDC122.

Each broadcast receiver BR 120 preferably has a unique terminal identification code included in the response, allowing the local data center LDC 122 to identify each responding broadcast receiver BR 120. Further, although the broadcast server identification code can typically be inferred from the terminal device identification code, the broadcast receiver BR12
0 also preferably contains the broadcast server identification code in interactive applications and responses.

Local Data Center LDC 122
Is preferably a computer system executing a software program that provides the functionality described herein. The local data center LDC 122
The response is stored in the response database 124. Using the terminal identification code, the local data center LDC 122
Can cross-reference responses in the response database 124 with subscriber information stored in the subscriber information database 126. Subscriber information database 126
Is the same database used for subscriber billing dispatch in one embodiment. In addition, the database provides information on subscribers' household income, age, race, interests,
Preferably, it includes information about the subscriber that is useful for marketing purposes, such as preferences and the like. In an alternative embodiment, the additional marketing information is stored in a separate database accessible by the terminal identification code or other information contained in the subscriber information database 126. The data in the subscriber information database 126 is collected along with the responses in the response database 124.

The collected data is local data
From the center LDC 122 to the master data center (“M
DC ") 128. Master data center MDC 128 is also preferably a computer that executes a software program that provides the functionality described herein. Master data center MDC 128 keeps the collected responses in aggregate response database 130. Further, the master data center MDC 128 is connected to the broadcast server 110, the broadcast device 11
The broadcast server 110, the broadcast device 114, which enables 4 or another source to correlate the response with the broadcast program
Alternatively, it is preferable to receive the broadcast schedule 113 from another source.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the steps for receiving and executing a monitoring interactive application 115 using a compact information protocol in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Broadcast receiver BR120
Receives and decodes the application header record prepared by the broadcast server 110 and inserted by the data insertion unit DIU 116 and transmitted by the transmitter 118 (310). The application header record describes information following and including the interactive application identification code.

The monitoring functionality of the interactive application 115 is described by definitions, scripts and commands that can be encoded and broadcast in any order. Definitions, scripts and commands are defined in the broadcast receiver BR12
0 (312), which defines the monitoring and response parameters used when executing (314) the monitoring interactive application 115. The information that can be tracked by the application includes the viewership of a particular broadcast, channel, or network, the use of other particular interactive applications, and picture-in-
Includes the use of functionality provided by the broadcast receiver BR120, such as a picture.

[0051] Some or all of the received monitoring interactive applications 115 are broadcast receiver BR12
It is stored in 0 (312). In one embodiment, the interactive application 115 is broadcast repeatedly, allowing the broadcast receiver BR 120 to tune the program at any time and to receive the entire interactive application 115. Any desired updates to the stored interactive application 115 are received and decoded (316). If any additional or updated definitions, scripts, or commands exist,
Sent until the application is completed (318).
In one embodiment, an exit command is broadcast and the interactive application 115 stops monitoring (320).

A new interactive application is sent at any time, including while the original application is monitoring or sending a response. For example, a new interactive application for a commercial breaks the original application for a new program,
The new application can resume operation upon termination of the original application. As part of this functionality, in one embodiment, the suspend application command is sent by the new application to interrupt the operation of the original application, the resume application command is sent by either application, Terminate and resume the operation of the original application.

FIG. 4 illustrates the configuration of interactive application 115 for tracking and processing responses generated from interactive application 115 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an event diagram of transmission and execution. In FIG. 4, time flows from top to bottom, the items in the boxes represent the actions performed by the entities listed above the column containing the boxes, and the arrows connecting the entities represent the data between them. Represents exchange.

Initially, the broadcast device 114 creates an interactive application (410). Having created the interactive application, the broadcaster 114 determines how to monitor usage and audience information. That is, the interactive application may monitor this information silently, silently under subscriber control, or explicitly. An interactive application that silently monitors information does not give the subscriber any indication that the information is being tracked or the response sent. In contrast, an interactive application that collects information quietly but under the control of the subscriber is first activated by the subscriber, but indicates when or what information is collected Absent. Finally, interactive applications that explicitly monitor information provide subscribers with feedback indicating that information has been collected. An explicit interactive application may be executed, for example, when a subscriber responds to a survey or purchases a product via the format displayed by the broadcast receiver BR120.

[0055] Broadcasting device 114 also determines what type of information to collect. The present invention enables monitoring of three types of information: program viewership, interactive application usage, and broadcast receiver BR120 usage. The program viewer count information includes whether the program, channel or network has been viewed or how long it has been viewed, the start and end times of viewing, the entry and exit paths of the viewer, and the viewer has “channel surfed” ( (I.e., detuned from the channel and then returned to it after a short time), and ancillary information such as volume settings or changes.

The broadcasting device 114 also has a broadcasting receiver BR1.
You may want to track information about 20. For example, a television manufacturer may want to know how many times a feature of a television set is used.
How many times the broadcast receiver BR120 usage information is
Which picture features are used, which video input is used, which channel the tuner of the broadcast receiver BR is on, and mute, subtitles for deaf or stereo surround sound Is activated, and any other user-selectable features of the broadcast receiver BR120.

In situations where the interactive application is not quiet and is explicitly activated by the viewer, the broadcaster 114 can track the use of the interactive application to fine-tune or optimize the interactive application. I want it. The information tracked in such an environment includes which applications were started, which types of applications were displayed, the time spent in each format, the entry and exit for the format, and the entry and exit routes for the format. Is fine. For example, monitoring capabilities may be incorporated into a sports interactive application that allows for viewer participation while watching a sporting event, so that broadcaster 114 may determine which features or formats are used most heavily. it can.

The functionality for collecting these various items of information is coded into the interactive application 115 using the compact protocol described above. To collect this information, the broadcast receiver BR120
The operations performed by are described below.

When the interactive application 115 is created,
Broadcast device 114 also accounts for the bandwidth of the broadcast media. The bandwidth available in VBI to broadcast interactive application 115 is inherently limited. Similarly,
The bandwidth for a response may be limited depending on how the response is sent and collected. Therefore, the broadcasting device 1
14 may control various parameters that affect the transmission of the interactive application 115 and the generation and collection of responses.

Such response parameters may be, for example, those broadcast receivers BR12 having a particular responding terminal identification.
Collect responses only from 0, interactive application 11
Collect responses only from those broadcast receiver BR120 samples that receive 5, eg, 5 percent, or
For example, those broadcast receivers BR that receive the interactive application 115 within 5 minutes after the start of the program, or within any combination of these or other limiting factors
The interactive application may be configured to limit the response to only the duration of 120. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the response parameter is the one for which the broadcast receiver BR1
Before being sent to 20, it is coded into the interactive application 115. In an alternative embodiment, the broadcast receiver BR120 itself determines whether to respond by using internally generated criteria. For example, interactive application 115 may specify that only five percent of broadcast receivers BR 120 that receive interactive application 115 generate a response.
Therefore, each broadcast receiver BR120 generates a random number or uses another selection criterion to determine if it is in the group to which it responds.

The broadcasting device 114 can also control a preferred response path. For example, the broadcaster 114 can determine whether the response is stored for later transmission to the local data center LDC 122 or if the response is transmitted as soon as possible. If the amount of data in the response packet exceeds the amount that can be sent using a suitable response path, eg, a cable system, the broadcast receiver BR
120 may be configured to contact local data center LDC 122 using an alternative response path, for example, a telephone call.

Once the interactive application 115 has been generated, it is transmitted to the interactive application database 112 in the broadcast server 110 (41).
3). The broadcast device sets a broadcast schedule for the interactive application 115 (412), and provides the schedule to the broadcast server 110, for example, in the form of a broadcast schedule (414). As described above with respect to FIG. 1, the interactive application 115 is retrieved from the database and inserted into the broadcast feed at the scheduled time or times (416).

At the same time as the interactive application 115 is broadcast (416), the broadcast receiver BR120 tuned to the channel to be broadcast receives the application. In an alternative embodiment, the broadcast receiver BR120
Is tuned to, or the broadcast receiver BR120
Regardless of which is currently in use, the application
The broadcast is broadcast to all broadcast receivers BR120 that receive the transmission. For example, in such an embodiment, the broadcast receiver BR120 may silently monitor one or more special channels for interactive applications.

The interactive application 115 is preferably started automatically upon receipt by the broadcast receiver BR120. Once started, the application collects usage information (418) and for that usage an interactive application is programmed by storing information indicating the monitored attributes in storage device 212. Then, the interactive application 115
Prepares a response packet containing information collected and stored for the last transmission (420) to the local data center LDC 122.

As described above, the usage information that can be collected by the interactive application 115 generally includes three categories: information about programs, information about the broadcast receiver BR120, and information about the broadcast receiver BR120. Get inside the information about the interactive application to run. To determine information about the program, one embodiment determines whether the program is viewed by continuously broadcasting interactive application 115 throughout the program. When the application runs, it generates a response packet indicating that the timer is tuned to the program. To determine how long a program has been viewed, one embodiment broadcasts the application continuously throughout the program. When the application runs, it records the time the application was started, and when the show ends, when the channel is changed, or when the broadcast receiver BR120 is detuned, the application Calculate the time and record the response indicating so. This latter application is modified to start the timer when the viewer tunes to the channel and provide the start and stop times viewed by recording the response with the value of the timer when the viewer leaves the channel. obtain. When determining the viewer's entry path to the channel, the interactive application 115 may tune the broadcast receiver BR120 on the channel before the program began, tune into the channel during a show or advertisement, or tune during the program. Record whether the upstream tuner (ie, the tuner that receives the signal ahead of the broadcast receiver 120, such as a VCR, coupled to the cable head of the set-top box) was tuned to the channel during programming. obtain.
One embodiment uses one bit for the interactive application 11
Set to 5 for only the first 5 seconds of the program. If the response indicates that this bit is set, it can be determined that the tuner was on the channel at the start of the program. When determining the exit path from the viewer's channel, the interactive application 115 may indicate that the program has finished, that the broadcast receiver BR 120 has been tuned or untuned to another channel, or that the upstream tuner has switched to another channel. Can be recorded during the program. In addition to the program information gathered as described above, the interactive application 115 may also gather the same information per channel, per multi-channel, or per network basis.

[0066] In one embodiment, the interactive application 115 communicates with the television 218 using the broadcast receiver BR1.
A response is generated that indicates the level of confidence that it is actually on the channel indicated by 20. For example, interactive application 115 may determine that an upstream tuner is used to control channel selection. This is because television 218 is always tuned to channel 3. Thus, the interactive application 115 will indicate that the channel information has a low secret level.

As mentioned above, information about the broadcast receiver BR120 that can be tracked includes picture-in-picture, video input, tuner, mute, subtitled, stereo, Including the use of surround and the like. One embodiment of the broadcast receiver BR 120 records this information by storing the information in the storage device 212 each time one of its features is used.

Information about an interactive application is tracked when the application is started and by recording the order in which it was viewed or used by setting one or more bits in the response packet. Can be The application can also use a timer to record the time spent for each type. In one embodiment, as each format is entered, the application records the time spent in the previous format in an array and then resets a timer to record the time spent for the current format. The timer is preferably stopped when the application is interrupted, so commercial breaks will not interfere with precise timing. In one embodiment, an "interrupt" timer is set to limit the time during which the application is interrupted. Thus, the application will not be interrupted indefinitely when a channel is changed during a commercial.
In another embodiment, the application uses a real-time clock to record the time of entering or leaving the form. An entry path to the application and an exit path from the application can also be captured and provided to the application for inclusion in a response packet.

FIG. 5 is a chart illustrating an embodiment of a response packet 500 generated by the broadcast receiver BR 120 and transmitted to the local data center LDC 122. Response packet 500 is divided into separate fields, each of which represents one or more bits in the response packet. FIG. 5 shows just one embodiment of a response packet 500, where the size, type and order of the fields may vary.

[0070] The version number field 510 identifies the version number of the transmission protocol. This field is used by the local data center LDC 122 to ensure that the broadcast receiver BR 120 uses the same transmission protocol as the local data center LDC 122. Type field 512 identifies the type of response information contained in the response packet. In one embodiment, the type field 512 contains usage monitoring information for packets, programs, broadcast receivers BR120, and / or interactive applications.

The free memory field 514 indicates the amount of memory free in the first storage device 212 and can be used for error checking purposes. Sample size field 516 indicates the sampling size used by interactive application 115. As mentioned above, the broadcast receiver BR120 may also be configured to respond only if it should be included in the sample.

The information field 518 includes the usage monitoring 520, the broadcast receiver 522, and the form visit (form).
visitor BR1) subfield, and includes a broadcast receiver BR1
20 contains information gathered from it. Any or all of the subfields may include information depending on the data collected by the interactive application 115. Usage monitoring subfield 520 may include subfields identifying the channel being monitored, the amount of time the channel has been watched, the incoming and outgoing channels, and other information that may be specified in interactive application 115. The receiving terminal subfield 522 preferably includes subfields identifying various broadcast receiver BR120 features, their settings and / or frequency of use. The type visit subfield 524 may include subfields identifying the number of types viewed, the last type viewed, the number of visits per type, and the number of seconds spent in each type. For those fields that include time-stamped data, one embodiment may indicate the number of seconds or minutes that have expired from a given date, eg, 12 a.m., January 1, 1970, to represent the recorded time. ： 00UTC
Use the number of seconds elapsed since. However, the format of the time data may be specified by the interactive application 115 or by a compact protocol.

The response packet 500 preferably includes a field 526 for application specific data. The local data center LDC 122 may determine how to parse this field 526 from the data in the type field 512 or from the data in the interactive application identification field 528,
It identifies the interactive application that generated the response packet 500. Preferably, the response packet 500 also includes a broadcast receiver BR identification field 530 that includes the terminal identification code of the particular broadcast receiver BR 120 that generated the response. This field 530 can be used to identify the subscriber generating the response and the make (model) and model of the broadcast receiver BR. Further, the response packet 500 preferably includes a broadcast server identification field 532 that includes the identification of the broadcast server 110 that transmitted the interactive application 115.

As mentioned above, the packet 500 may be sent via a cable headend, telephone connection or other transmission means. Broadcast receiver BR identification field 530
By using the local data center LDC
122 can cross-reference responses received from broadcast receiver BR 120 and stored in response database 124 with subscriber information stored in subscriber information database 126. For each subscriber, the subscriber information database 126 includes a terminal information code for the broadcast receiver BR120, a unique subscriber information number, a subscriber name, an address,
ZIP code and phone number, product or product grade purchased by subscriber, subscriber's income, age, race,
Viewing habits or preferences, required for billing and shipping purposes,
Alternatively, it preferably includes any other information gathered, for example, from a subscriber survey.

Referring again to FIG. 4, the cross-reference information is:
Together with the received response (422), it forms the collected response. The plurality of aggregated responses generated by the local data center LDC 122 are then preferably combined. In one embodiment, the identity of the particular broadcast receiver BR120 that generated each response is removed from the combined response. The combined and aggregated responses may, for example, provide an indication of the number of viewers viewing a particular channel, their average income and age, and their geographic location.

The aggregated and combined response generated by local data center LDC 122 is sent to master data center MDC 128 (42).
4), where the responses are kept in a collected response database 130. This database 13
0 combines the responses received from the various local data centers LDC to which the master data center MDC 128 is coupled. In one embodiment, the master data center MDC 128 also collects the response together with additional subscriber information stored in an MDC subscriber information database (not shown). Master·
The data center MDC 128 also uses the received broadcast schedule 113 to correlate the collected response with the broadcast program and determine the exact program or event transmitted when the response was generated, The collected response data is provided to that particular program. For example, the master data center MDC128
Can determine from the broadcast schedule 113 that the commercial was broadcast on a particular network at a particular time. By analyzing the time at which the response was generated in the response database 130, the master data center MDC determines how many subscribers were watching the commercial at that time and the average revenue of the subscriber. Can be.

Finally, the master data center MDC1
28 generates a report from the data contained in the collected responses. Generally, broadcaster 114 specifies the type of report that it wants to receive. Such reports may include, for example, total broadcast ratings or shares,
Generated from the average age of the subscriber who saw the program at a particular moment in the program, the way the subscriber enters and exits the program, the average income of the subscriber who saw the program, or the responses collected Any other geographic, demographic or psychographic profile of the subscriber that can be indicated may be indicated. The exact identification (ID) of each subscriber is removed from the report to protect the privacy of the subscriber.

In one embodiment, the master data center MDC 128 uses the interactive application identification field 528 in the response packet to determine which broadcast device 114 owns the interactive application that generated the response.
To determine. The master data center MDC128
The type of report requested by the broadcaster 114 from the data storage is determined, and the report is then generated from the response. Reports include, for example, secure web pages, multipurpose Internet mail extensions (Multipurpose Internet).
Mail Extensions protocol, file transfer protocol (File Transfer P)
protocol, or push base (push)
Preferably, it is automatically and electronically delivered to the requesting broadcaster using an electronic data exchange method such as based technology. In some embodiments, the report is a plain text file (plain text).
t file), while in other embodiments, the report is, for example, ADOBE ACROBAT Portable Document Format (Portable D).
document format) is a rich text file.
In yet another embodiment, the report is, for example, HTM
It is a multimedia document in L format.

FIG. 6 shows the master data center MDC1
2 shows a sample report that may be generated from the response collected by 28. FIG. 6A illustrates a sample report showing the percentage of total responses received at a particular geographic market for a particular channel over the course of a day. One channel 77 is shown in the report, which is the cable news network (CA).
BLE NEWS NETWORK ("CNN"). Channel 7
7 entitled “CNN PS” and 000027f2
A monitoring interactive application with an interactive application identification (ID) (shown as "UIC" in the report) was run. As shown in FIG. 6A, the total of 1,826 viewer responses is 17
Received on 43 reported days from 43 different audiences. 87 of these responses from 75 different viewers are generated by the CNN PS application and indicate the subscriber who has activated the CNN PS application via the viewing channel 77. As indicated by the time line corresponding to channel 77 in the report, fifteen responses were generated at approximately 8:00 am, while 69 responses were generated between approximately 5-7 pm. Thus, these responses indicate that the majority of viewers watched channel 77 during normal breakfast and dinner times.

In contrast, FIG. 6B is a report showing the use of the day format for a particular interactive application on channel 36 in a particular geographic area of Orlando, Florida. In FIG. 6B, channel 36 carries the broadcast feed provided by the CNN. The interactive application carried by the feed has three related root forms: headline news, national news and world news, each root form having additional forms that can be displayed through the root form. For each format, the first number after the format name indicates the average time, in seconds, spent on that format, and the second number after the format name indicates the number of visits recorded for that format. Indicates a number. For example, a form entitled "Headline News" has 16 visits, but the average duration of a visit is less than 1 second. The related format "Headline News-More Details, Story 1" has a total of 45 visits and an average of 23 seconds per visit.

In summary, the present invention is a system and method that enables configurable monitoring of program audience, broadcast receiver usage, and interactive application usage. By collecting responses generated by interactive applications running on a broadcast receiver, the system and method can provide a very specific report on audience numbers and usage. Further, the systems and methods can cross-reference the received response with the subscriber information to provide a report including demographic and psychographic information about the responding subscriber.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a high-level block diagram illustrating a system for performing usage and audience monitoring in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a broadcast receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating steps for receiving and operating an interactive application according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an event diagram that traces the configuration, transmission and execution of a monitoring interactive application, and the processing of responses generated from it.

FIG. 5 shows local data generated by a broadcast receiver.
5 is a chart illustrating an embodiment of a response packet transmitted to a center.

FIG. 6 illustrates a sample report that may be generated by a master data center from collected responses.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Timothy V. Travail, One Hundred and Thirty Force Place Southeast 5810, Bellview, Washington 9806, USA 5810 (72) Inventor Christopher Jay Mitchell, California 91504, United States , Burbank, Adonos Way 3000 (72) Jana Jay Pacuet, Inventor, Maine, United States 04963, Oakland, R4 Box 270

Claims (26)

[Claims] 1. A method for selectively monitoring the use of a broadcast receiver, comprising the steps of: receiving, by the broadcast receiver, an interactive application accompanying a broadcast program; Selectively determining whether to specify monitoring of the selected attribute of the broadcast receiver; and responsive to the affirmative determination, the broadcast receiver to monitor the specified selected attribute. A method comprising: configuring; and storing data indicative of monitored attributes in said broadcast receiver. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of broadcast receivers, each of which performs the steps of receiving, executing, forming and storing, wherein the method further comprises: monitoring attributes monitored from the plurality of broadcast receivers. 2. The method of claim 1, comprising combining stored stored data; and generating a report from the combined stored data describing monitored attributes of the plurality of broadcast receivers. 3. Specifying selected attributes of the broadcast receiver to be monitored by an interactive application; and storing program logic indicating the selected attributes to be monitored in the interactive application; Transmitting an interactive application to the broadcast receiver. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the selected attributes of the broadcast receiver to be monitored include a program audience attribute. 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the selected attributes of the broadcast receiver to be monitored include interactive application usage attributes. 6. The method of claim 3, wherein the selected attributes of the broadcast receiver to be monitored include a broadcast receiver use attribute. 7. The method further comprising: determining when a broadcast program accompanying the interactive application is transmitted on the broadcast feed; and inserting the interactive application into the broadcast feed substantially simultaneously with transmission of the broadcast program. The method of claim 1 comprising: 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting stored data indicative of monitored attributes from the broadcast receiver to a central database. 9. The method according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of broadcast receivers transmit stored data to the central database, and the method further comprises identifying stored data indicative of monitored attributes by transmitting the stored data. Collecting together with the subscriber information describing the subscriber with which the broadcast receiver is associated, and describing the collected stored data and the monitored attributes of the broadcast receiver and associated subscriber information. Generating a report from the subscriber information. 10. A system for selectively monitoring subscriber usage of a broadcast receiver, comprising: a broadcast device for providing broadcast data including an interactive application for selective monitoring; and a plurality of broadcast devices receiving broadcast data from the broadcast device. A receiver for storing an interactive application for selective monitoring, extracting the interactive application from broadcast data, executing the interactive application, and selectively monitoring. A plurality of broadcast receivers having an engine that generates a response when instructed by the interactive application to generate a response describing subscriber use of the broadcast receiver; and Generated by the plurality of broadcast receivers executing an interactive application A data center for receiving a response and generating a report describing subscriber usage of the responding broadcast receiver. 11. The broadcast device has a plurality of stored interactive applications including an interactive application for selective monitoring,
And a broadcast server for receiving a broadcast schedule and searching for a specific interactive application among the plurality of interactive applications stored in response to the broadcast schedule, and a broadcast feed and the searched interactive application from the broadcast server. The system of claim 10, further comprising a data insertion unit for inserting the received and retrieved interactive application into a broadcast feed to generate broadcast data. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the data insertion unit inserts an interactive application into a vertical broadcast interval of a broadcast feed. 13. The data center unit includes: a response database for storing responses generated by the plurality of broadcast receivers; and a response database for a subscriber having a broadcast receiver among the plurality of broadcast receivers 2. A subscriber information database for holding information and information for cross-referencing subscribers with responses generated by said plurality of broadcast receivers.
The system of claim 0. 14. The data center section generates a report including information from a subscriber information database describing subscribers having a responding broadcast receiver.
The described system. 15. A plurality of data center units,
Each receiving and collecting responses generated by a geographically related subset of the plurality of broadcast receivers; and receiving aggregated responses from the plurality of data center portions. The system of claim 10, further comprising: a main data center portion for generating reports from the aggregated responses, describing the broadcast receivers to aggregate and respond to. 16. The system of claim 10, wherein the broadcast receiver receives broadcast data from the broadcast device and transmits a response to the data center via a single transmission medium. 17. The broadcast receiver receives broadcast data from the broadcasting device via a first transmission medium, and sends a response to the data center unit in a second transmission different from the first transmission medium. 11. The system of claim 10, transmitting over a medium. 18. A method for generating a usage report describing a plurality of remote broadcast receivers receiving a broadcast feed from a broadcast device, comprising defining an interactive application specifying characteristics of the plurality of remote broadcast receivers to be monitored. Transmitting an interactive application having a broadcast feed to a plurality of remote broadcast receivers; and selectively executing the interactive application on a specific broadcast receiver of the plurality of remote broadcast receivers. Generating a response describing the monitored characteristics of the particular broadcast receiver; transmitting a response from the particular broadcast receiver of the remote broadcast receivers to a data center unit; A description describing the use of the monitored characteristics of the plurality of broadcast receivers from a response received by the data center unit. How and a step of generating over bets. 19. The method of claim 19, wherein the selectively performing comprises:
19. The method of claim 18, comprising executing an interactive application to determine whether a particular remote broadcast receiver should generate a response. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein transmitting an interactive application having a broadcast feed to a plurality of remote broadcast receivers comprises inserting the interactive application into a vertical blanking interval of the broadcast feed. Method. 21. The method of transmitting an interactive application having a broadcast feed to a plurality of remote broadcast receivers, comprising the steps of: 19. The method of claim 18, comprising retrieving from an interactive application database; and inserting the retrieved interactive application substantially simultaneously with the broadcast of the associated program into a broadcast feed. 22. The method of claim 18, wherein said defining step further comprises the step of defining said interactive application to monitor audience characteristics of said plurality of remote broadcast receivers. 23. The method of claim 18, wherein the defining further comprises defining an interactive application to monitor a characteristic of a second interactive application executed by the plurality of remote broadcast receivers. Method. 24. The step of transmitting a response from the specific one of the remote broadcast receivers to the data center unit, the step of transmitting the response in response to the occurrence of an activating event. 19. The method of claim 18, comprising: 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the triggering event is specified by an interactive application. 26. The generating step comprises: collecting each received response having subscriber information describing the subscriber that generated the response; and describing the subscriber information in a report. The method according to claim 18.